RIP Summerfest

I'm not going to stop drinking Sierra Nevada by any means...but I'm also not going to buy a trend chasing "session hazy IPA", especially one that replaces Summerfest.

Net result, SN will have less of my money. Whether that's an issue to them is their prerogative; there is no shortage of other great beer for me to spend my money on nowadays.

 

That stinks. Although I never bought any last year so hard for me to complain.

Seems like problem with big brewery like SN is that they can not do small runs of these sessional beers so if stores can not sell a pallet quickly they get phased out.

 

I'm just going to stick to my favorite hazy Sierra Nevada beer... Kellerweis.

 

Another hazy IPA I can ignore.

 

I was never a big fan of Summerfest but, all these years later, I am still butt-hurt by the discontinuation of Tumbler. So, I get how you Summerfest fans feel.

In general, it sucks to see SN chasing the trends. Honestly, hazy IPAs are best left to the hyper-local micros that brew 25 different IPA variants ever year and only distro out of their own brewery.

SN does "hoppy" fairly well but they do a lot well. Balance in flavors and styles has always been their hallmark. They should stick to it.

 

I was just thinking the other day how I was looking forward to Summerfest next year. I’m very disappointed especially since it’s being replaced by another IPA and a session one at that! Hopefully this isn’t a sign 2021 will be as bad as 2020. It’s crazy to think that in May I’ll be saying at least I had Summerfest last year.

 

BUMMER nothing else to say.

 

Once my homebrewer Pilsners ran out this summer, we drank a lot of Summerfest and Bells Lager of the Lakes. At least the Bell's should be around when I run out of my own.

 

Probably the biggest bottom line for every brewery these days (see my gripe about the overwhelming labels on shelves in another thread).

 

Poor decision. Sierra Nevada will be getting less of my money in 2021.

I have appreciated SN because besides making good beer, they have seemed to care more for tradition and do a better job looking out for their core customers than the other brewers of their size. It is disappointing to see them moving away from that business model and chasing new dollars rather than making sure they keep the customers they already have, @SierraTerence.

 

"Hoppy" has always been their hallmark.

 

I'm not so sure they're chasing "new" money so much as chasing their share.

As many fans as there are expressing their sadness over the discontinuation of Summerfest here, it just wasn't selling.

Just more fad-followers than traditionalists (like me) out there.

 

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and Torpedo for $13.99 a 12 pack is always going to get my business. The dating has been fine with me. The beer business writ large is a fickle group of fickle entities.

 

I picked up at least a 6 of Summerfest every summer. Sierra Nevada is my favorite brewery. But in recent years I drank a lot more of more flavorful pilsners such as Crux Pilz and Buoy Czech Style Pilsner. As for SN lagers, I preferred Nooner Pilsner that disappeared a few years ago. I am a bit disappointed but not surprised to see Summerfest replaced with a hazy "session" IPA, which I am not likely to purchase. I won't be seeking out that nectarine beer either.

 

SN does hoppy well but it's mostly older stuff - Pale Ale, Celebration, Torpedo, Hoptimum, Northern Hemisphere, and (I will admit) now Dankful. Anything remotely hazy by them though is pedestrian.

 

It has been well over a year since I had a pint of Hazy Little Things so my beer memory is not fresh here so I won’t discuss the beer’s sensory qualities.

Likely the most alluring aspect of that beer to the Sierra Nevada CEO (Jeff White) is the sales growth of that beer. @jesskidden discussed this in a past thread:

“Last figure I saw for HLT was it accounted for around 25% of SN's income…

“Hazy Little Things is supposedly the only SN beer that is growing in triple digits…”

https://www.beeradvocate.com/commun...maria-stipp-as-ceo.646309/page-2#post-7016498

It would be my personal preference for Sierra Nevada to just continue to grow the one brand of Hazy Little Things but it seems that Jeff White feels there is a need to expand the number of Hazy IPA brands now.

Cheers!

 

I had a Summerfest 2 days ago. Still tasting good. I bought a bunch last summer and have been having one every week or so. Only 2 left and I'll miss it when it is gone. Always have SNPA in the fridge and there are a couple Torpedos and a Hoptimum.

Troeg's Sunshine Pils is always in the fridge for a reasonably priced go to lager.

Now that Lawson's is in the Pittsburgh area; they've been getting a lot of my business. More Lawson's in my beer fridge right now than any other brand.

 

Same here. I loaded up on both each season they cane round. This stinks.

 

Including Scrag Mountain Pils?

 

Why is this surprising? Haven't all fests been cancelled in the covid era?